FSU student's mom: 'Ammo' belt a punk-style phony

Saturday

Dec 22, 2012 at 6:00 AM

By Paula J. Owen TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

The mother of the Fitchburg State University student arrested for alleged possession of a military-style ammunition belt Tuesday by campus police, said her son is sitting in jail on $50,000 cash bail for wearing a post-punk fashion belt he purchased for $20 on a punk website.

Doreen J. Despres, said her 20-year-old son, Andrew K. Despres from New Bedford, is a normal kid who was stereotyped because of his appearance and association with the post-punk subculture.

On his Facebook page, Mr. Despres appears in a photo with an ammunition belt draped over his shoulder (similar to the one he was arrested for) pointing two toy pistols at the camera and a fake, wooden rifle painted black hanging from a strap around his neck. In another photo he posted Sept. 11 this year that he captioned, “Better late than never!” the twin towers are depicted in NYC blowing up in the terrorist attacks.

However, his mother said he in not a violent person and has never been in trouble. Campus police overreacted when they discovered the belt, she said.

“In light of the school shootings, this is the climate of the country,” she said. “He is a totally normal, regular kid. He is not violent and has never done anything. He was wearing a belt … and they are trying to make him sound like a gunman. He doesn't own any guns and never has. My son is in a real prison on $50,000 bail for wearing a fashion belt.”

On Tuesday evening, she said her son was arrested for trespassing on the campus and for alleged possession of a belt of semiautomatic-rifle ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card.

Her son was expelled from the school Monday, she said, for minor infractions including possession of marijuana and was told he needed to notify campus police if he returned to campus.

When he returned Tuesday to get his belongings without notifying FSU authorities, university police were notified.

His friends were helping him remove his belongings from his dorm room, she said, and when he continued to gather his things, he was arrested by campus police. When he was frisked, they allegedly found “a.308-caliber feeding belt” campus police described as used by the military for large capacity rifles.

However, his mother said her son is a drummer and has worn the belt for years as a fashion statement. Every day, she said, the long-haired FSU sophomore majoring in communications media who wants to one day work as a cameraman, wears jeans, concert T-shirts and a bullet belt.

“This is completely unjustified in every possible way,” Mrs. Despres said in a telephone interview Friday.

“We're completely distraught. This is our son. I just want to portray that it was not ammunition. It was a fake bullet belt anyone can buy at the mall. They say he needed an FID card, but anyone can go to Hot Topic and buy it today.”

The belt was sent to the state's crime lab for ballistics testing.

Lt. Daniel G. Richard, spokesman for the state police, said no further information was available.

Matthew J. Bruun, Director of Public Relations at FSU, said campus police were required by the district attorney's office to have the state police determine whether items in question are considered ammunition under state law.